The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/116680
men's basketball Michigan Basketball Rewind: Feb. 18-March 17 Record: 4-3 National Ranking: No. 6 Associated Press poll and No. 11 USA Today coaches poll Best Win — 58-57 over Michigan State: Michigan recalled all too well the beating it took in East Lansing, and the opprobrium rained down upon it during that unfortunate evening. When the Wolverines saw the opportunity to steal one back on their own court, they did so quite literally. Sophomore point guard Trey Burke picked the Spartans' pocket not once but twice in the final minute of Michigan's vengeance-filled victory. Burke's slick steal and slam behind bewildered MSU point guard Keith Appling gave the Wolverines the winning margin with just 20 seconds left. The Spartans saw one more chance for a regular-season sweep … and Burke stole that as well. He baited freshman guard Gary Harris into an ill-considered pass for Appling on the sideline, then slashed in and took it away, giving Michigan a crucial win to keep its Big Ten title hopes alive. Burke wound up with 21 points, eight assists and five steals in making the decisive difference against the Spartans, with freshman Mitch McGary chipping in 11 points and four rebounds. Redshirt junior center Jordan Morgan frustrated MSU's Derrick Nix (2-of-9 shooting and six turnovers) all game defensively, and added seven rebounds to the cause. Worst Loss — 72-71 to Indiana: Some will say Michigan losing a 15-point lead in the final 10 minutes at Penn State qualifies here, but any time a team is one victory away from a Big Ten title, the defeat gets magnified. The Wolverines were closer than 40 minutes away from that championship. They stood 40 seconds away, guarding a five-point lead over the Hoosiers. In those fateful final seconds, they missed the front end of two one-and-ones, surrendered six points to IU big man Cody Zeller and watched Morgan's last-gasp offensive tip barely roll off the rim just before the buzzer. Indiana raced off with an outright Big Ten championship. The Wolverines walked away with a loss seared onto their memory, an all-time if-only setback. Breakout Performer: Burke simply cannot be ignored, breaking into even higher ground as the Big Ten Player of the Year and a finalist for several National Player of the Year awards. He led the Wolverines in scoring (19.2 average) heading into the NCAA Tournament, while averaging 6.7 assists. He's Michigan's best hope for a victory in any given game and for a longer run in The Big Dance. Michigan fans should enjoy what are likely his final days in a Michigan uniform. Impact Freshman — Mitch McGary: McGary just keeps getting better. Not